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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid .

Last updated on January 30, 2024. Published on February 16, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Exfoliator American Brand United States
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Extra Gentle Daily Scrub

Starts at $8.97
Shop

Buy Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid

Starts at $14.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Reduces Irritation
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (3)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Irritating (4)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 1.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 6.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 10.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 14.

4
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 11.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 10.

5
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 18.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 9.

6
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub contains this as ingredient number 19.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid contains this as ingredient number 12.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

21% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
58% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet
41% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
12% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub 19 ingredients

Extra Gentle Daily Scrub hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid 17 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
ellalovesotters's avatar

ellalovesotters

1 year ago · Dry Skin
Review

good and hydrating exfoliator
i just recently picked up this product and have been using it for about a week. right off the bat it feels very...

good and hydrating exfoliator
i just recently picked up this product and have been using it for about a week. right off the bat it feels very hydrating and cleansing on my skin, even right after washing my face my skin feels very hydrated. it exfoliates very well while not being too harsh on the skin. i highly recommend this product, it's both super hydrating and affordable

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Neutrogena Hydro Boost Daily Gel Cream Exfoliating Cleanser With Hyaluronic Acid.

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